U.S. patent application number 10/048041 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for method and system for advertising offers.
Invention is credited to Fantner, Ernest Johann.
Application Number | 20030018526 10/048041 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8175939 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030018526 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fantner, Ernest Johann |
January 23, 2003 |
Method and system for advertising offers
Abstract
A system (1) for advertising offers, which can be presented by
advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10), which are shown on an
advertising surface (6) erected at a certain location, has input
means (11) which are assigned to the advertising surface (6) and
which are provided for inputting visitor information, while,
additionally, evaluation means (24) are provided which are used for
evaluating the visitor information input by the input means (11)
and received by the evaluation means (24) and for generating result
information which represents a measure for the commercial effect of
the advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10) and which can be output by
output means (25).
Inventors: |
Fantner, Ernest Johann;
(Vienna, AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Corporate Patent Counsel
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
580 White Plains Road
Tarrytown
NY
10591-5198
US
|
Family ID: |
8175939 |
Appl. No.: |
10/048041 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2002 |
PCT Filed: |
May 10, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP01/05318 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0241 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 31, 2000 |
EP |
00890179.5 |
Claims
1. A method of advertising offers which can be presented with the
aid of advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10), which objects (7, 8, 9,
10) can be perceived on an advertising surface (6) provided at a
location (2) visited by visitors (4), which method is characterized
by the steps stated below, that is to say a) assigning electronic
input means (11) to the advertising surface (6) and b) receiving
visitor information input by the input means (11), which
information is triggered by visitors (4) to the location (2) of the
advertising surface (6) and c) evaluating the received visitor
information and generating a measure for the result information
representing the commercial effect of the advertising objects (7,
8, 9, 10) present on the advertising surface (6) and d) outputting
the result information.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
visitor information is speech information, which corresponds to
speech signals received by speech signal receiving means (14) and
recognized by speech signal recognition means (18).
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
visitor information is input information input via a
touch-sensitive picture screen (13).
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the result
information represents the number of visitors (4) who have visited
the location (2) of the advertising surface (6) in successive time
spaces.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the result
information represents the countries of origin of the visitors (4)
who have visited the location (2) of the advertising surface (6) in
one time space.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the result
information represents the gender and/or age of the visitors (4)
who have visited the location (2) of the advertising surface (6) in
one time space.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the result
information represents an evaluation of advertising objects (7, 8,
9, 10) presented on the advertising surface (6) by the visitors (4)
who have visited the location (2) of the advertising surface (6) in
one time space.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that result
information is output by the transmission to an information center
(26) which is shared by a plurality of advertising surfaces
(6).
9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the offers
presented on the advertising surface (6) with the aid of the
advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10) are modified or exchanged in
dependence on the result information.
10. A system (1) for advertising offers which can be presented with
the aid of advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10), which objects (7, 8,
9, 10) can be perceived on an advertising surface (6) provided at a
location (2) visited by visitors (4), which system is characterized
by the system portions stated hereinafter, that is: electronic
input means (11) which are assigned to the advertising surface (6)
and are provided for inputting visitor information, which visitor
information can be triggered by visitors (4) to the location (2) of
the advertising surface (6), and evaluation means (24) which are
provided for evaluating the visitor information input by the input
means (11) and received via the valuation means (24), and for
generating a measure for result information representing the
commercial effect of the advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10) present
on the advertising surface (6), and output means (25) provided for
outputting the result information.
11. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
input means (11) comprise speech signal input means (14) and speech
signal recognition means (18), by which speech information
corresponding to speech signals spoken by users (4) can be input as
visitor information.
12. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
input means (11) comprise a touch-sensitive picture screen (13) by
which input information can be input as user information.
13. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
evaluation means (24) are provided for determining the number of
visitors (4) who have visited the location (2) of the advertising
surface (6) in successive time spaces.
14. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
evaluation means (24) are provided for determining the countries of
origin of the visitors (4) who have visited the location (2) of the
advertising surface (6) in one time space.
15. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
evaluation means (24) are provided for determining the gender
and/or age of the visitors (4) who have visited the location (2) of
the advertising surface (6) in one time space.
16. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
evaluation means (24) are provided for determining a judgement by
the visitors (4) of advertising objects (7, 8, 9, 10) presented on
the advertising surface (6), which visitors (4) have visited the
location (2) of the advertising surface (6) in one time space.
17. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
transmission means (25) are provided by which the generated result
information can be transmitted to an information center (26) shared
by a plurality of advertising surfaces (6).
18. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that
controllable modification means (28) are provided which can be
controlled in dependence on the result information and by which the
offers presented on the advertising surface (6) by the advertising
objects (9, 10) can be modified or exchanged in dependence on the
result information.
19. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
system (1) has a billboard (6) as an advertising surface (6) and in
that exchangeable advertising posters (7, 8) can be stuck to the
billboard (6) as advertising objects.
20. A system (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the
billboard (6) has a cylindrical shape and in that the input means
(11) are provided in the cylindrically shaped billboard (6).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method and a system for
advertising offers which can be presented with the aid of
advertising objects, which objects can be perceived on an
advertising surface provided at a location visited by visitors.
[0002] Such a method and such a system of the type defined in the
opening paragraph are generally known in a variety of variants of
embodiment. With such a known system a billboard is provided as an
advertising surface, while a plurality of advertising posters by
which several offers are advertised are stuck to the billboard.
With the known system it is a given fact that it is only possible
to convey an advertising message to the visitors or viewers
respectively, of a billboard, while the provider of the known
system and the customers of the provider of the known system hope
to achieve a most efficient and large commercial effect with the
advertising posters provided as advertising objects. With the known
system and with the known method the commercial effect and a
success resulting therefrom can only be measured by means of a
comparison between the results achieved before the presentation of
the advertising posters and the result achieved after the
presentation of the advertising posters. This fact represents an
unsatisfactory situation which deserves of improvement, because the
result of the presentation of advertising objects cannot be
established until after a relatively long time space.
[0003] It is an object of the invention to avoid the
afore-mentioned facts and provide an improved method and an
improved system in accordance with the type defined in the opening
paragraph, which offer considerably more and improved technical
possibilities.
[0004] For achieving the object defined above, a method of the type
defined in the opening paragraph and in accordance with the
invention is characterized by the steps stated hereinafter, that
is, a) assigning electronic input means to the advertising surface
and b) receiving visitor information input by the input means,
which information is triggered by visitors to the location of the
advertising surface and c) evaluating the received visitor
information and generating a measure for result information
representing the commercial effect of the advertising objects
present on the advertising surface and d) outputting the result
information.
[0005] For achieving the object defined above, furthermore a system
of the type defined in the opening paragraph according to the
invention is characterized by the system portions stated
hereinafter, that is, electronic input means which are assigned to
the advertising surface and are provided for inputting visitor
information, which visitor information can be called up by visitors
to the location of the advertising surface, and evaluation means
which are provided for evaluating the visitor information input by
the input means and received via the evaluation means, and for
generating a measure for result information representing the
commercial effect of the advertising objects present on the
advertising surface, and output means for outputting the result
information.
[0006] Providing the features according to the invention achieves
in a simple manner and with only simple and cost-effective
technical means that the technical and non-technical possibilities,
which can be achieved with a method and system according to the
invention, are by far beyond the possibilities which can be
achieved with the known method and system. With a method according
to the invention and with a system according to the invention, the
features according to the invention provide that conclusions drawn
from the presented advertising objects can be realized, that is
practically immediately after a reaction of the users or viewers of
displayed advertising objects, so that the efficiency of the
commercial effect of displayed advertising objects can be
established in a very fast manner and, as a result, a very fast
adaptation or a very fast exchange of advertising objects can be
carried out in a purposeful manner.
[0007] It should be observed that in conjunction with a method
according to the invention and a system according to the invention
both advertising posters and commercials or advertising pictures
displayed on a picture screen, but also acoustically reproduced
advertising messages, are possibilities.
[0008] For a method according to the invention and a system
according to the invention it has proved to be highly advantageous
when the visitor information is in the form of spoken information,
because such spoken information is extremely well-suited for
determining the gender and/or age of visitors or viewers
respectively, of an advertising surface, so that the age-related or
gender-related effect of an advertising system according to the
invention can be established in a simple manner and a necessary
change, if any, of the advertising objects can be recognized at a
very early stage. It has, however, also proved to be advantageous
when the visitor information is formed by character information,
which is input by means of a keyboard, or when the visitor
information is formed by card information, which is rendered
available by means of a chip card reader, so that then the
commercial effect of an advertising surface on, for example, credit
card users can be established. It has further proved to be
advantageous when the electronic input means are arranged for
inputting so-called e-malls, because then the visitor information
can be derived from the information representing an e-mail, which
information is highly suitable for establishing result information
that represents the countries of origin of the visitors or viewers
respectively, of an advertising surface, so that the commercial
effect of an advertising surface on viewers from different
countries of origin can be established and the advertising objects
can readily be adapted to the viewers' countries of origin.
[0009] Result information can be output, for example, by printing
it with a printer, or by displaying it with a display device, or by
outputting it in the form of a data file. It has turned out to be
highly advantageous when in a system according to the invention
controllable change means are provided with the aid of which
advertising objects presented on an advertising surface are
automatically changed or exchanged in response to the result
information obtained. This can be simply realized particularly when
the offers are electronically presented by means of advertising
objects, for example, with the aid of LCD picture screens provided
on an advertising surface.
[0010] In a system according to the invention it has turned out to
be highly advantageous when a billboard of cylindrical shape is
provided as an advertising surface and when the electronic input
means are provided in the cylindrically shaped billboard. Such an
embodiment may be realized very similarly to a so-called
advertising column.
[0011] The aspects stated above and further aspects of the
invention follow from the example of embodiment to be described
hereinafter and are explained with reference to this example of
embodiment.
[0012] The invention will be described in more detail with
reference to an example of embodiment shown in the drawing, to
which, however, the invention is not restricted. In the
drawing:
[0013] FIG. 1 gives in a pictorial representation of a system for
advertising offers in accordance with an example of embodiment of
the invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 shows in diagrammatic manner the system as shown in
FIG. 1 in a plan view with a removed cover of the system as shown
in FIG. 1,
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a print with result information representing
the number of visitors who have visited the location of the system
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in successive time spaces and
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a print of result information representing the
countries of origin of the visitors who have visited the location
of the system as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in one time space.
[0017] The FIG. 1 shows in a visual three-quarter view a system 1
for advertising offers, which is erected near the corner of a house
2 on a sidewalk 3, while a visitor or a viewer 4 respectively, of
the system 1 is shown standing in front of the system 1.
[0018] The system 1 has a base 5, from which an advertising surface
6 rises, which is formed by a billboard 6. In the present case the
billboard 6 has a cylindrical shape. Exchangeable advertising
posters, which, however, are not shown in the FIG. 1, can be stuck
to the billboard 6 as advertising objects. Different offers can be
presented with the aid of the advertising objects arranged as
advertising posters.
[0019] A first advertising poster 7 and a second advertising poster
8 are affixed to the billboard 6 provided as an advertising surface
6 as is illustrated in FIG. 2, in that the two advertising posters
7 and 8 are stuck to the billboard 6. Furthermore, a first
electronic display device 9 and a second electronic display device
10 are provided on the billboard 6. Different advertising pictures
can be displayed by the two electronic display devices 9 and 10,
which is advantageous in that the offers presented on the billboard
6 with the aid of the two electronic display devices 9 and 10 can
easily be changed or exchanged.
[0020] The system 1 advantageously comprises electronic input means
11, which are assigned to the advertising surface 6 and are
provided for inputting visitor information or viewer information
respectively, which visitor information can be triggered by
visitors to the location where the advertising surface 6 is
erected. The input means are provided in the cylindrical billboard
6. Furthermore, the system 1 comprises an electronic device 12,
which is realized, in essence, with the aid of a personal computer.
The electronic device 12 is installed in the interior of the
advertising surface 6.
[0021] The input means 11 comprise a touch-sensitive picture screen
13 by which input information can be input as user information. The
picture screen 13 at the same time represents an output unit by
which picture and/or text information can be reproduced. The input
means 11 further include speech signal input means 14, which are
formed, in essence, by a microphone. The input means 11 further
contain two loudspeakers 15 and 16 by which sound signals can be
reproduced. The picture screen and the speech signal input means 14
as well as the two loudspeakers 15 and 16 are connected to the
electronic device 12 via electrically conducting links 17, which
are shown only schematically.
[0022] The electronic device 12 is instrumental in forming speech
signal recognition means 18, which are connected to the speech
signal input means 14 and, together with the speech signal input
means 14, form part of the input means 11. By means of the speech
signal recognition means 18 can be generated speech signals uttered
by users and the respective speech information cm be fed to the
electronic device 12. This speech information also represents
visitor information.
[0023] Furthermore, the electronic device 12 is also instrumental
in forming the telephone connection means 19, e-mail transmission
means 20 and Internet access means 21. Telephone calls received via
the speech signal input means 14 can be supplied to a telephone
line 22 by the telephone connection means 19, which telephone line
22 is connected to a public telephone network. The e-mail
transmission means 20 can apply e-mails, which are written by users
with a keyboard provided on a touch-sensitive picture screen, to a
server connection line 23 which is led to a server in known manner.
The internet access means 21 can select an internet address fed by
means of the touch-sensitive picture screen 13, during which
operation a respective connection is then set up via the server
connection line 23 by the internet access means 21, after which the
information desired from the Internet is reproduced by the picture
screen 13.
[0024] The electronic device 12 is further instrumental in forming
evaluation means 24, which are provided for evaluating the visitor
information input by the input means 11 and received by the
evaluation means 24 and which evaluation means 24 are provided for
generating a measure for the result information representing the
commercial effect of the advertising objects 7, 8, 9 and 10 present
on the advertising surface 6. Telephone number data can be applied
to the evaluation means 24 by the telephone connection means 19.
E-mail address information can be applied to the evaluation means
24 by the e-mail transmission means 20. Internet address
information can further be applied to the evaluation means 24 by
the Internet access means 21. Speech information can furthermore be
applied to the evaluation means 24 by the speech signal recognition
means 18. By using all this user information described above and
with the aid of evaluation programs, the evaluation means 24
generate result information which--as already observed--represents
a measure for the commercial effect of the advertising objects 7,
8, 9 and 10 present on the advertising surface 6 or the offers
respectively, advertised thereby.
[0025] The evaluation means 24 are in the present case provided for
determining the number of visitors who have visited in successive
time spaces, for example, in successive hours of a day, the
location of the advertising surface 6 within a time space of a
holiday season, for example. The number of visitors can be
determined with relatively much accuracy from the number of inputs
for the input means. Furthermore, the evaluation means are used for
determining the countries of origin of the visitors who have
visited the location of the advertising surface 6 in a time space,
for example, in a quarter year or in a year. The countries of
origin of the visitors can be determined with relatively much
accuracy from the e-mail target addresses sent by the visitors.
[0026] In the present case the evaluation means 24 are also
arranged for determining the gender and/or age of the visitors who
have visited the location of the advertising surface 6 in a time
space, for example, in a day or in a month. The gender and/or age
of the visitors can be determined with relatively much accuracy
from the speech information derived from the uttered speech.
[0027] The evaluation means 24 are additionally arranged for--which
is not separately shown in FIGS. 1 and 2--determining the visitors'
judgement of advertising objects present on the advertising surface
6, who have visited the location of the advertising surface 6 in a
time space, for example, of less than three days. Such an
evaluation of the advertising objects may be made possible in a
simple manner in that a presence sensor which senses the presence
of a viewer in front of the respective advertising object and
activates a timer by which the duration of presence of a viewer in
front of the advertising object can be determined, is assigned to
each advertising object. From the lingering time of the visitors in
front of an advertising object may be drawn a conclusion about the
quality or effect of the advertising object, so that the lingering
time represents a measure for the commercial effect of an
advertising object present on the advertising surface 6.
[0028] In the system 1 the electronic device 12 also accommodates
transmission means 25 which form output means, with the aid of
which the result information generated by the evaluation means 24
can be transmitted to an information center 26 via a data link 27.
The information center 26 is shared here by a plurality of
advertising surfaces 6, thus a plurality of advertising surfaces is
assigned thereto. It is then possible to call up from the
information center the result information generated in the system
and process it in the information center.
[0029] In the system 1 are additionally provided controllable
modification means 28 which can be controlled in dependence on the
result information generated by the evaluation means 24 and applied
to the modification means 28 via a link 29. The modification means
28 are connected on one side to the first electronic display device
9 via a first connection 30 and to the second electronic display
device 10 via a second connection 31. The offers presented on the
advertising surface 6 by advertising objects 9 and 10, thus by the
two electronic display devices 9 and 10 via the two connections 30
and 31, can be modified or exchanged in dependence on the result
information generated by the evaluation means 24.
[0030] Additionally, the system 1 can include a printer as output
means, by which the generated result information can be printed out
either in the form of a table or in bars. The result information
may also be printed out in the information center 26 by means of a
printer provided there.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows an example of such a printout. This printout
shows the result information which represents the number of
visitors who have visited in successive time periods, that is, in
successive hours within a time space of five months, the location
of the advertising surface 6 or of the system 1 as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2. As can be learnt from this printout, the number of visitors
to the location at which the system 1 is installed has peak values
between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., whereas in other time sections there
were hardly any visitors present. Form this finding there may be
derived, for example, that in the time spaces in which there are
practically no visitors to the location of the respective system,
the electronic display devices 9 and 10 can be switched off.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows another printout. In this printout the result
information is given which represents the countries of origin of
the visitors who have visited and viewed the system 1 according to
the FIGS. 1 and 2 in a time period of five months. In this printout
are shown the countries of origin of the visitors, which countries
of origin were determined in a simple manner from the e-mail target
addresses of sent e-mails. From the diagram shown in FIG. 4 may be
drawn the conclusion that with the system 1, with visitors coming
from Japan, a commercial effect is hardly noticeable because the
number of visitors coming from Japan is comparatively small.
Therefore, in the system 1, with which the result information shown
in FIG. 4 was obtained, the offers presented on the advertising
objects 7, 8, 9 and 10 may rather be concentrated on visitors from
Italy, Germany and Austria.
[0033] The invention is not restricted to the example of embodiment
described above. The system according to the invention may also
have a partially open cylindrical shape instead of a closed
cylindrical shape. A system according to the invention may also
have an advertising surface in the form of a flat billboard. A
system according to the invention may also be equipped with a video
camera which feeds a picture analysis device by which user
information based on prerecorded pictures of users, can be
generated that can be evaluated by the evaluation means.
* * * * *